Golden
by knightshade
Summary: Teal’c undergoes a painful transformation and is happy to have Jack there to witness it. Short Jack and Teal'c friendship fic.


Title: Golden  
Author: knightshade  
Rating: PG  
Pairing: None – Jack and Teal'c friendship  
Spoilers: Season 4, 2010

Disclaimer: I don't own them. See MGM, Gekko, and a whole gaggle of others who are not me.

Summary: Teal'c undergoes a painful transformation and is happy to have Jack there to witness it.

Author's Notes: This takes place prior to the events in 2010. It's my penance for not noticing. ;-)

**Golden**

Teal'c tried not to wince, but he was unsuccessful. He took a shallow breath, chose a spot on the bare white wall in the sterile white room, and stared at it, allowing his intense focus to dull the pain.

"You all right?" O'Neill asked, sizing him up.

"I am fine."

O'Neill did not look as though he was convinced.

"They offered to sedate you. I'm sure they still could."

"I am aware." Teal'c closed his eyes as the pain burned brighter. He concentrated on his breathing, slowing it down as though he were going to Kel'Na'Reem. But the pain was too intense to be overcome so easily. It rolled in vast waves through his body, warring with his desire to remain still. He clenched his jaw, letting the muscles underneath his skin harden against the onslaught.

"I'm just saying, it would be a lot easier."

Teal'c wanted to turn but he was compelled to keep looking forward by the vice-like force field holding his head firmly in place. "I have suffered far worse pain, O'Neill."

"Yeah, me too. But I don't go around signing up for it voluntarily."

Teal'c wanted to raise his eyebrow. They both knew that there were occasions and circumstances in which O'Neill was willing to volunteer for duty that involved great pain. He had done so in the past. The cause simply had to be worthy. And to Teal'c this cause was among the most worthy. For this privilege, this last spite to the false gods, he would be willing to suffer far greater pain.

"I'm just saying…"

"So you have said, O'Neill. And I have given you my answer."

"Right. Gotcha. I'll be quiet now." O'Neill turned to look off to the side with a slight cringe.

Teal'c clenched his jaw tightly but a groan escaped. The doctor paused in his work and Teal'c took shallow breaths in and out until the pain subsided.

"I'm sorry about that, but we're almost done here," the doctor said, brandishing the buzzing instrument again.

Teal'c wished he could just nod his assent, however it was not currently possible. He was forced into speaking more than he would like. "Of course."

He noted the suspicious look that O'Neill gave the Aschen doctor. It was not easy for him to be here, Teal'c knew. It was a testament to their friendship that he had come at all – that he would suffer the presence of the Aschen spoke mightily. But more than anyone else, O'Neill had made this day possible. True, it was not a day without bitterness. Not everything Teal'c wanted for his people had been achieved. They were now a dying race. Dying, but free, and he was certain that was better than living as slaves. For that he would always be thankful to Colonel O'Neill. He would always owe him a debt of gratitude that he could not possibly hope to repay.

He was only sorry that things had not worked out as well as he would hope for O'Neill either. As the Jaffa were a dying race, O'Neill was a dying breed of man – a warrior for which there was no war.

"Thank you, O'Neill. For coming," he said, wincing against another spike of pain.

"I wouldn't miss it, Teal'c. You know that."

"Indeed. However, I am aware that your coming here is not without discomfort of your own."

O'Neill glanced at the doctor and sighed. "Yeah, well, it's nothing like what you're going through. It's the least I could do."

"I am honored to be in your debt."

O'Neill glanced away uncomfortably and nodded.

"We're finished here," the doctor said, hitting a button on the console in front of him, freeing Teal'c's head from the force field. Teal'c let out a sigh and relaxed slightly into the chair.

The doctor handed him a mirror and Teal'c stared into it, transfixed. So many years of carrying the mark of Apophis, so many years of wishing he could wipe it from his brow, and today he had finally done so. The pain of having the solid gold dug out of his skin with Aschen lasers and having the ragged edges knitted together with their dermal technology was nothing compared to the pain of living with that mark.

Teal'c stared at his smooth forehead. Today the last vestiges of his bondage were gone. Today he was fully free.

Teal'c continued to stare into the mirror, his chest tightening and his jaw clenching again, but this time against an entirely different feeling.

"You look great, Teal'c," Jack said, taking the mirror from him. "But don't go turning into a pretty boy on me now."

Teal'c nodded solemnly to him, trying to hold back the emotion that filled him body and soul. But even he, former First Prime of Apophis and warrior with the Tau'ri, could not keep at bay.

O'Neill looked away again and then cocked his head toward the door. "Come on. Let's get out of here and find a place to go celebrate." He led the way out of the office, respectfully turning his back to the emotion that Teal'c knew must certainly be visible in his eyes. Teal'c gathered himself and stood, following his friend out of the office.

The world may not always have a place for men like Colonel O'Neill and himself, but Teal'c knew they would always have a place for each other.

-----------------  
-knightshade  
March 3, 2007


End file.
